


One More Day

by QueenOfAllThingsEvil



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Apocalypse, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Zombie, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-06-29 01:25:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15719070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfAllThingsEvil/pseuds/QueenOfAllThingsEvil
Summary: Welcome to Morrowbrooke. A town full of people, soft country farms, and soon enough, everyone's worst nightmare, the walking dead.---"One more day," he tells me, trying to convince me that living to see the sunshine again would be worth it, the gun barrel at my head seeming more uncomfortable by the minute. Avery's blue eyes that explode green were shaken and tired if it weren't for his calm estate he would have driven more zombies towards us in his panic. "Why, Avery? Why should I keep going?" I asked as my voice broke and the room turned to silence except for the faint moans and groans of zombies outside. Avery squatted down and looked at me, my own reflection staring back. I couldn't remember the last time I slept. "One more day, where we fight for a world that we need to keep living for," he becomed me, slowly reaching out and resting his hand on the barrel. "Please Val, for me," he pleaded with tears threatening to fall from his eyes.





	1. Chapter one: Day 0

If I had known the apocalypse would have started on a Sunday I would have gone to church. Prayed to an imaginary God for forgiveness and begged for mercy alongside the rest of my family. Instead, I went to Abraham Isaac’s party, the cool senior with the drugs and alcohol. Looking back on it now it wasn’t the brightest decision I’ve ever made. I should have stayed at home, locked the doors, barred the windows, and hold my little brother for what might have been the last time. Yet I was out at nine o’clock, drinking mystery drink on the back deck and eating brownies that may or may not have been laced with marijuana butter with Avery Colding laughing at some crappy joke I just told. His soft brown hair moved gracefully in the wind and all of a sudden I was lost in his soft blue and green eyes that looked like fireworks when he was happy. “You tell that to every guy you converse with?” he joked with a smirk making my stomach do backflips. With anyone else, on any other night, where I wasn’t drunk and a little high, I wouldn’t have told a stupid joke to make my friend laugh. I would have pushed him over the deck a little making his eyes explode with both fear and excitement, both of us knowing that we were just joking. “Only the ones that feed me chocolate and get me more punch,” I returned playful banter jiggling my cup making Avery roll his eyes. “You are ridiculous Valerie Smith,” he mumbled snatching the red solo cup from my hand and taking it inside to be refilled by the alcoholic mystery liquid. For a moment I leaned against the railing, taking in the sweet October air. Tonight should have been the night where I was supposed to relax and have a talk with a friend of mine, maybe make him even more of a friend. But that’s not how this went down. My attention was brought over the railing a figure in the distance making me squint to see. I watched as the man staggered forward towards one of the party guests, the tall buff guy wearing swim shorts and a tank top. “Alright Smith I got your drink right here,” Avery said returning, trying to pass the red solo cup off to me. The hairs on the back of my neck rose as I watched the staggering man reach out to my fellow teenager. “Hey, you drunk man?” he asked over the blaring music with an outstretched forearm to keep the guy at arm's length. But the so-called “drunk” man continued to press on, his mouth opening and clamping down hard at the air in the dark. “Back off man,” he ordered pushing the guy away. My eyes narrowed as I watched while Avery followed my gaze. “You think he’s in trouble?” I mumbled watching as the man approached him again, a little slower, but he was making his way downtown. “Yo! Matt! You all good?” Avery asked the dude who was now distracted. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have said anything. I should have done something a lot more than just stand there and watch. Matt turned to us and shrugged his shoulders as the man snuck up on him. “I-” Matt didn’t get the chance to finish as the man reached up and took a hold of his head, taking a big bite out of his neck. Matt screamed out, and other people went to help him, including me. But something was holding me back. Not fear, or anger, or even pain for Matt. Something was literally holding me back, a hand on my shoulder. I looked back at Avery, who had turned ghostly white with a look of terror in his eye. “Val don’t,” he warned, but his voice, his nice soft voice had turned dark and deep. “What? Why not?”  
“Someone call an ambulance!” A voice shrieked pulling my attention back to Matt, who was now laying on the floor in a pool of his own blood unconscious. I tried again to walk forward, but Avery gripped down harder on my shoulder. God that was going to bruise in the morning. “Valerie, listen to me,” Avery said slowly turning my body to face him. “We need to go, right now,” he ordered. “But-”  
“Val, trust me,” Avery pleaded. I searched Avery’s blue and green eyes for some sort of reassurance of a prank. But there was none, only one emotion shooting through his eyes and it was a form of fear that was indescribable. “Okay,” I whispered letting Avery take my wrist. He briefly nodded his head as I followed him through a hoard of people that were trying to gather outside in the opposite direction. I heard a scream from outside as more people pushed by me to get outside. I caught a pair of silky brown eyes with dark skin and long thick dreadlocks, a person that I recognized easily. “Sam,” I called my brothers name who grabbed onto my free hand stopping me from following Avery. “Where ya going, Val? The party’s not over yet,” he asked with a small smile on his face. I looked back at Avery who watched me impatiently. “I’ve gotta go, Sam-”  
“Go with him?” he mumbled nodding towards Avery keeping a strict form of eye contact with me. I nodded my head as Avery’s hand grew tighter on my own. “Val-”  
“I know I’ll be there in a second,” I mumbled. Avery frowned and released my hand. “I’m gonna get the car,” he muttered walking away from me in a swift brisk. The frown on my face grew bigger as Sam waved his hand in my face. “Don’t you wanna see Matt drunk off his ass outside?” he asked. I frowned and shook my head. “Go home Sam. Take the car and get home as fast as you can,” I warned as the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Sam frowned and took a glance between me and the doorway. “What’s going on Val?”  
“Nothing lil bro. Just go home alright?” I ordered, but the concern in my voice made Sam’s smile disappear. “You sure?” he asked searching my eyes. I nodded my head turning away. “Positive,” I lied walking towards the front door, hoping that deep down my brother would be fine while I was with Avery.  
Truth be told that night I should have listened to my instincts and taken Sam with me. I should have held my younger brother close to me as Morrowbrooke burned to the ground with everyone in it. But no. Instead, I went with the boy I had a stupid crush on, leaving my family behind to endure the worst.


	2. Day 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovely readers! I hope you're all enjoying the book so far. Friendly reminder that I love each and every one of you and that there will be more chapters to be published soon on the 18th of each month.  
> -Your Queen

The first day of the apocalypse isn’t all newscasts and emergency alerts on your phones. No. It’s going to school the following Monday after a long Sunday night. A quick spread of the flu they called it. But Avery apparently knew better…  
“Where the hell are we going?” I questioned as he drove in his all-terrain Jeep Wrangler that was painted an ugly shade of blue. 

Avery glanced at me but remained silent, his muscles tensing under his v-neck shirt. I frowned and crossed my arms. “You know you’re technically kidnapping me,” I teased trying to lighten the mood. Avery glanced at me again with a small smirk on his face. “Oh am I now?”  
“Yup. You’re kidnapping me right now. I should threaten to call the police but I like you too much for that,” I mumbled the last part knowing well that if I spoke those words out loud it would make this conversation a lot more awkward.

Things returned to silence after I had finished talking, allowing my nerves to tense up. I could feel anxiety rise in the pit of my stomach, and suddenly I thought I was going to be sick as my mind traveled back to Matt. “We should go back to the party,” I recommended folding one arm over the other. “I mean, we did kind of leave Matt there to die,” I muttered under my breath jokingly Even though a big part of me was deadly serious. No pun intended. I frowned catching Avery’s glare through the corner of my eye. “Val-”  
“Where are we going anyway?” I asked next as a green sign started to approach us fast.  
Now leaving Morrowbrooke. Hope you enjoyed your stay! It read in white lettering.

I frowned harder as my palms grew sweaty and not in the Eminem way. “To my house,” he responded immediately pulling into a long farm road. In the dark, I could barely make out a classic two-story farmhouse that was painted a dark blue that appeared black and a blinding white that reminded me of high beam headlights. “What-”  
“I just, don’t think it’s safe for you to go home tonight is all,” Avery responded quickly as if he could sense what I was about to ask next. He turned the car off and we got out, a dog barking in the distance making me a little nervous. I wasn’t a fan of dogs, not since Sam was bitten when he was younger. A hot shiver echoed through me.  
Even though it wasn’t me being injured, I could still feel its hot teeth sinking into his arm for him, it’s teeth tearing my skin apart. “Come on,” Avery snapped me back to attention as he opened my side of the car door. My heart swelled and I thanked him, unbuckling my seatbelt and stepping out of the car. The moment the gravel hit my ankle boots I almost slipped. Luckily, Avery steadied me with ease, a concerned look on his face.  
Aww. I thought watching as my close friend was actually worried about me. “I think I had too much to drink,” I chuckled, my words making Avery smile. “Yeah I can see that,” he teased. “I think I’m fine now,” I lied as the farmhouse before me started to twist and spiral into different directions. I knew I wasn’t okay but had lied in order not to make my best friend worry any more than he needed to. “You sure?” he asked. I nodded my head taking a step forward. Next thing I knew I’m laying face down in the gravel and dirt, Avery calling my name a little too loudly. “I-i’m okay,” my words slurred as he lifted me off the ground and into his arms bridal style with a small grunt. “Jesus how much did you drink?” he asked walking towards the house. After a moment's thought, I responded. “Si-”I hiccuped and I could feel vomit rush into the back of my throat. Not here, not now. I told my body swallowing the throw up back into my body.

“Six cups?” he guessed. “F-five, five cups,” I corrected closing my eyes for a moment to stop an oncoming headache that was forming. How was I already starting to get hungover while being drunk at the same time? This had never happened to me before. I rolled my eyes at myself under my eyelids. This was one of the first times I’ve ever drunk alcohol, I’m sure that my body was just getting used to it. When I open my eyes again, Avery was over me, gently brushing my ugly golden brown hair out of my face. “You should get some sleep,” he recommended. My eyes narrowed feeling the surface around me. A soft and warm bed, with a faint light echoing from afar. “Whe...where am I?” I asked him next. A small smile appeared on Avery’s face. “Well, Smith, you’re in my room,” he explained. My cheeks turned red as a tomato looking around the room. Ugly cream colored walls with brown trimming, skateboard and rock band posters coating the walls trying to hide the terrible color. “I wanna go home,” the thought occurred. Avery just shook his head taking a seat on the edge of the bed. “I know, but for right now you need to sober up and sleep,”  
“But Sam,”  
“Sam will be okay. I’ll make sure he gets home. I promise,” Avery made a deadly promise, both of us knowing the Sam would be wondering where I was, alone. “Okay,” I hiccuped again. Avery stood with a soft smile on his face. “Go to sleep Val. I’ll be back before you know it,” he said with a wink. I chuckled resting my hands on my stomach. “Goodnight Avy,”  
“Night Val,”  
And with those words Avery Colding left his room, allowing me to finally move and turn on my side to face the bay window that revealed the front of the house. Considering the view, poor Avery must have dragged me up a flight of stairs. This was all so new to me, especially since I’ve never been in his room before. I took a deep breath watching as Avery drove away in his car speedily, not even bothering to stop at the end of the farm road. I took another breath shutting my eyes and finally falling asleep against my best wishes. Something deep down within me knew that this was a bad idea. That no matter how drunk I was I should never have slept over at my best friend's house. Then again, what’s life without a few risks?


	3. Chapter 3: Day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valerie wakes up in Avery's house to be greeted by an unwelcoming resident...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! It has been a while since I have updated. September of 2018 I think but now I am back on track and focused. I don't know when the next chapter will be out but trust me when I say I'm going to finish this story even if it kills me. But for now please enjoy chapter 3: day 2 of One More Day! Until next time my lovely little readers...

My eyes snapped open to the sound of a door being closed loudly. They narrowed in suspicion as sunshine greeted me a preppy good morning. A heavy bag was set down on the hardwood floor as I squeezed my eyes shut. I wasn’t as hungover as I thought I would be thankfully. Soft humming started and I recognized the voice with ease. That was Avery Colding's voice, my best friend. I frowned looking around the room without moving. Was I in his room? I paled a little at the thought. Was I in his bed? Softly patting down my chest, I found myself to be fully clothed, meaning that we didn’t spend the night together as I had feared. Feared? A voice in my head chuckled. You’ve had a crush on the boy since freshman year, and now you’re telling me that you feared it if you had sex with him?

I frowned at myself. That part of me was right. I did hold a stupid crush on Avery, ever since our freshman year. But now we were juniors, and I needed to push it away. I did another quick glance around to only catch a glimpse of a pair of blue and green eyes. A pair of eyes that belonged to my best friend. “You’re awake?” Avery guessed correctly. I softly nodded my head forcing my body to sit up which turned out to be a mistake. My stomach churned instantly and suddenly I could taste acid and last night dinner in the back of my throat. I put one hand over my mouth trying to keep myself from vomiting while Avery reacted fast. “Here,” he said handing me a nearby trash can. After a moment of waiting, I lowered the trash can, feeling slightly less nauseous. 

“I’m okay,” I mumbled handing the can back to its owner. Avery raised an eyebrow with a concerned look on his face. “You sure?” He asked. I nodded my head which felt like a mistake. “Yeah I’ll be fine,” I lied. Avery chuckled and shook his head. “You're a trooper huh Smith?” he joked making me feel a thousand times better instantly. It was that smile. That stupid smile that killed me every time I saw it. In a good way, I mean. “Learned it from the best,” I replied with an awkward wink making Avery laugh. I tried not to stare, but when he wasn’t looking, I’d brought my attention over to him. Perfect timing. I thought as he threw his head back and laughed.

“You hungry?” Avery suddenly asked looking at me. “I made breakfast downstairs,” he said jabbing his thumb toward his bedroom door. I tilted my head to the side, a small smile on my face. “You can cook?” I said surprised. Avery rolled his eyes. “I can cook about as well as you can drink,” 

“If that’s the case then you can barely make a bowl of cereal without setting it on fire,” 

Avery rolled his eyes. “Not according to last night. I thought you were gonna get alcohol poisoning and I’d have to take you to the emergency room,”

I could feel my cheeks turn red. “I-I didn’t drink that much,” I replied. Avery laughed sarcastically. “Yeah okay. Whatever you say, Smith,” he said standing up. I threw the covers that were on me off and tried to stand only to grow dizzy. “You all good?” Avery asked holding his arm out to me in case I needed it. I nodded my head making things worse. “I think I’ll be okay,” I lied. 

Avery led me down the stairs of his house that seemed calming. Baby blue painted walls with white stripes going down it, a dozen pictures of little Avery on them. I smiled looking at one of them. It was from last year, our first high school dance. It was me and Avery, looking as dorky as ever. “Oh God,” I chuckled covering half of my face with my hand. 

It was Sci-Fi that year and I went as Eleven from Stranger Things, he went as Spock. We had a fight over whether or not Eleven was Sci-Fi enough but deep down I think Avery knew I was right. “Remember that?” he asked pointing to the picture of the wall. “Of course I do, best night of my life,” 

“Really?” he said surprised while we walked down the stairs. “Of course. I got to dance with my best friend all night long!” I reminded Avery while nudging him. He nodded his head side to side. “Number two, maybe three-nope, two, on my list,” he said thinking about it. I rolled my eyes again remaining silent, wondering what his first favorite memory would have been.

“-according to more recent data, the outbreak has been mostly contained in the following cities: Danville, Carson City, and Morrowbrooke,” a formal female voice spoke. I followed Avery into the kitchen, where a small TV was spitting out the news, a plump elderly woman was sitting in a kitchen chair. “Avery? Is that you?” she called out continuing to face the TV. “Yeah, grandma, it’s me,” Avery replied looking at me. She smiled softly. “What happened to that girl? The one that spent the night?” she asked turning around, obviously referring to me.

I smiled at her. “Hi, I’m Valerie,” I introduced myself offering my hand. Avery’s grandma looked up at me and I could pain pang my heart. Her eyes...they were a bright blue like Avery’s, but hers were glossed over. She was blind. “Hello Valerie, it’s nice to meet you,” she said with a small nod of her head before returning to the news.

“Still watching the news grandma?” Avery asked pulling out one of the kitchen chairs for me. I nodded at him sitting down while Grandma Colding sighed. “Yes dear. It seems like the virus is spreading throughout the county as of last night. They seem to have found specimen zero, but…” Grandma Colding trailer off. 

Avery went to the toaster by the refrigerator, pulling out two pieces of now toasted bread “But what?” 

“He seems to be resisting,” she explained. 

I frowned. “Resisting?” I repeated. “Did I stutter?” She said making me feel uncomfortable. So that’s how Avery’s grandma is...okay then.   
Avery glared at her for a moment before going to the stove where a steaming pan was cooking something. 

“Yes, he’s resisting. Fighting back against the police. Even bit an officer,” Grandma Colding shook his head. “That poor Officer is in critical condition now. Started with a fever, then apparently vomiting and chills and so on,” she added on making me feel sick. 

Avery set a plate down in front of me, full of scrambled eggs, bacon, and even cooked potatoes. My mouth watered while I stared at the plate. “Here ya go,” Avery said handing me a fork. “Thanks,” I replied digging into the food. “Did no one teach this girl manners?” Grandma Colding snapped. 

I paused eating, the fork still in my mouth. Even though she couldn’t see me, Grandma Colding was staring straight into my eyes. “When was the last time you prayed before a meal?” She asked me. Avery rolled his eyes. “Grandma-“  
“Uh, sorry, ma’am. I’m Uh,” I looked to Avery for help. “Not...very religious,” I finally finished my sentence. She huffed. “You should girl. Before you go straight to hell,” she snapped. “Grandma,” Avery called through his with an irritated expression on his face. Grandma Colding looked up at him before huffing again and turning back to the news. 

I looked up at Avery embarrassed while he continued to glare at his grandmother. “Come on Val. We’ll eat outside,” he said turning around and walking out the front door. I got up to follow him but Grandma Colding grabbed my arm. Without turning to look at me, she uttered words that haunted me for a long time. “You’re gonna get him killed one day girl. I promise you that. And while my little Avery Maximum Colding flies to heaven,” she turned to look at me, her bright blue eyes that looked deep into my soul giving me the chills. “You’ll be burning in hell,” she hissed squeezing my arm harder. 

I took my arm away, leaving the old woman’s hand there to close in on itself. I didn’t reply. How would one reply to something so…messed up? I grabbed my plate and walked out the door behind Avery, a cool sense of dread washing over me.


End file.
